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Benefits of breastfeeding

Exclusive breastfeeding is the best way of feeding babies under six months of age. After that they should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding has lots of health benefits for your baby, and for mum too. It'll help to protect your baby from infections and diseases. It is also free and available whenever and wherever your baby needs a feed – so no scrambling around making up bottles in the middle of the night!

Getting out and about

Breastfeeding doesn’t mean you need to be stuck indoors, even if you are worried about feeding in public. Many places including shopping centres, cafes and the Children and Family Wellbeing Service, (previously children's centres) have breastfeeding rooms or quiet places where you can feed your baby.

Once you’ve got the hang of breastfeeding it’s easy to feed wherever you are, and most people won’t even notice. Many mums find wearing a camisole/vest top under a t-shirt is really practical. Or you can use a scarf over your shoulder.

Why not practice at home in front of a mirror to reassure yourself how little anyone can see?

Worried about lack of sleep?

If you're tempted to give up breastfeeding because your baby is waking often in the night remember, it won’t last forever and you will sleep again. Even babies who are formula fed will need care and attention during the night. Babies have small stomachs and are growing very quickly so it is normal for them to wake in the night.